Our house has a weekly “sleepover” where my two boys and I get to go to sleep in the “big bed” together. It’s a fun night that we all look forward to, filled with wriggles, giggles, reading, singing, and various episodes of borderline insanity that may (and more often than not, does) occur when you try to put two boys under 5 to bed with Mommy.
It takes hours sometimes.

I love these times. I am very well aware that both my boys will eventually grow out of thinking this is best thing since sliced bread. I am all too cognizant that one of these days getting to sleep over with me just won’t have the same draw and excitement as it once did (cue sad puppy faces with Sarah McLachlan music…) Knowing my time is fleeting with them, I cherish every moment we get to do our sleepovers.

One of my favorite moments of these nights is after we’ve read, and done hugs and kisses, and answered questions, and watched Bible stories on my phone, and sung several songs (mostly made up by the oldest)- we then finally settle in to just straight up cuddling as they fall asleep. It’s my most favoritest ever! Despite the fact that both of them take after their daddy and sleep at approximately 145 degrees, I love their little cuddles.

That is… I love the potential for their cuddles. More often than not, however, it takes them a bazillion years to actually lay still and fall asleep. Me? I’d be out in about 4 seconds if given the chance. The boys take quite a bit longer to totally unwind. They are both wrigglers. My 3-year old does this rolling thing we have dubbed “The Jonah Death Spiral”- just like you’d see on Animal Planet (though with considerable less teeth and tails.) He just rolls and rolls and rolls before he can get comfortable. It’s not unusual for him to wake up with the blankets wrapped around his little body a dozen times. Too often there are still a number of things not.quite.right in their little world that cause the wriggles to continue- too hot, too cold, jammies are bunched, have to go potty, the door is still open, the dog is in the way, etc. etc. etc.

And all the while…

I just want to lay quietly and cuddle. In those times my only desire is that they be still and lay with me. I want that Hallmark movie scene. Rarely does it happen, but it is wonderful when it does!

I imagine God is the same way with us. I love the idea that He looks forward and longs to just cuddle. To be quiet and still together and relish the companionship; to hear each other’s breathing, to listen to the beat of our hearts, to feel the warmth of each other. Moreso, how much must He love it when we just snuggle close to Him and fall asleep. It takes such a intricate combination of childlike trust, love, exhaustion, and satisfaction with life to get to that point of snuggly, gooey parental warmth! Oh how He must long for it just as I do with my kids! For as much as I cherish those brief times, I know He must as well.

Psalm 46:10 shows His desires for our snuggles perfectly. Look at all the wonderful translations of this passage-

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” NSAB

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the
nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” ESV

“Be in awe and know that I am God. I will be exalted among th
e nations. I will be exalted throughout the earth.” ISV

“Stop your fighting–and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.” HCSB

How often do we spend too much time and energy doing spiritual crocodile rolls? We wriggle, we want to talk, we need to go potty, we are too hot, we are too cold, we lost our blankie… and all the while our Father, Abba, is patiently and eagerly anticipating our snuggly stillness. Cease striving, be still, be in awe, stop your fighting… 

Snuggle with Abba more dear one and get some REST!